Improvement in boiler-flue cleaners



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NFETERS. FiIOTO-LITHDGRAFHER. WASHINGTON, D C4 UNITED-STAT-Es PATENT OEEIOE.

CHRISTOPHER CASTLE,

OE CLEVELAND, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN BOILER-FLUE CLEANERS.

Specication forming part of Letters Iatent No. 219,688, dated September 16, 1879 application tiled January 30, 1879.

To all whom it may camera.'

Be it known that-I, CHRISTOPHER CASTLE, of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Boiler-Elue Cleaner, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for cleaning boilerdiues by directing a jet of steam through them 5 and the object of the improvement is to prevent the wasting of steam and the blowing of the soot from the flues out into the boiler-room.

It consists in providing the nozzle of the apparatus with a conoidal head, provided with a sleeve fitting over the nozzle and bearing against a spiral spring, and a finger that operates the stem of the valve that shuts off the passage of steam through the apparatus. The spring keeps the head thrust forward so that the valve remaiiisgclosed, and when the head is placed in a ii-u'eit'closes the same, whereby, when the steam ,is-:permitted to iiow through, the head prevcntsthe soot from being blown back out of the liuc and into theroom.

In the accompanyin g drawingvaside view of the cleaner is shown, with the valve-chamber and colloidal head, sleeve, and nozzle in section.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a spheroidal valve-chamber, in which are made ducts a a', separated by a diaphragm, b, with an opening, c, through the same, wherein is seated a conical valve, cl, opening downward, having a stem, d, passed through it. A spiral spring, e, is wrappedaronnd the valve-stem below thevalve, one end bearing against the under side of the valve, and the other against the screw-plug f, in which is asocket, j", to receive the lower end of the stem. The upper end of the stem passes through the upper casing of the valve-chamber and bears against the nger B, held under the guard C on the upper side of thechamber, as shown.

Thev ducts a a' lead into short projections g g', respectively, on opposite sides of the cham# bcn-and to these projections are joined tubes F is the conoidal head or cap, having at its forward end a socket, h, and projecting from this a sleeve, G, slipped over the tube D and bearing against the end of spring t', coiled around the tube. In the sleeve is a slot, j, for guidestud 7c in the tube, which prevents the head from turning', and also guides it.

In the socket It is placed a flanged cap-nut, H, and screwed onto the projecting end of pipe or nozzle D, the bottom of the socket being stepped or eounterbored, the end and flange of the nut abut against the steps, and thus hold the head on the nozzle. The hole 7c through the cap-nut forms the vent of the nozzle.

The finger B is rigidly connected with the conical head, and projecting backward, its inclined under edge, l, rests upon the top of the valve-stem d. When the head is forced back the linger, bearing upon the stem, presses it down, and thus opens valve d. A,

The operation of the invention is as follows: The apparatus is managed by a wooden or iron handle attached to it, and when'a ue is to be cleaned the conical head is placed in the end of the flue, as at I, and using that as a bearing, the nozzle-pipe D is pressed in the sleeve Gr, thus forcing the head and linger back, and the latter pressing down the valve-stem opens the valve and permits the steam to pass through the valve-chamber, and is thence delivered from the nozzleinto the flue I, thoroughly cleaning off the soot, which is forced back to the rear of the boiler. When the cleaning is iinished the apparatus is relieved of pressure by the operator, and the head moving forward, the finger permits the spring e to force the valve into its seat and stop the ilow of steam.

Thus it is apparent that the action of the apparatus is wholly under the control of the operator, and the steam only flows when it is necessary to clean the flue to which it is applied, thus preventing the waste of steam.

Further, the conoidal head is fitted so closely into the iiue under the pressure necessary to open the valve that no soot can possibly be blown back into the room from the iiue, but it is all forced back in the rear of the boiler at the proper place.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. As aninprovemeutin apparatus for cleanzle-pipe D', adapted to receive a reciprocatory movement thereon, and provided with a iinger, B, for operating the valvil d through the stem d', ou which it bears, so that when the head is placed i11 the Hue and the nozzle-pipe is pushed in the finger presses down upon the stem and opens the valve, substantially as described.

3. The spheroidal valve-chamber A, provided with ducts a a', diaphragm e, with valve d, opened by means of the finger B when the conoidal head F is pushed back and closed by the spring e, in combination with tubes D, E, and 1) and conoidal head F, substantially as described.

4. The combination and arrangement of thc followinga parts, to wit: the valve-chamber A, provided with duets a a', leading to pipes D D', respectively, diaphragm c, with valve d, operated by spring e, and finger B, colloidal head F, with sleeve G, placed over pipe D' and controlled b v spring z', and the cap-nut H for holding;v the head on the pipe D', substantially as described.

CHRISTOPHER CASTLE.

Witnesses:

THOMAS REILLEY, PATRICK MALLEY. 

